In: Psychology
Describe the role of community colleges in U.S. higher education. When did community colleges become widespread? Compared to other types of colleges and universities, what benefits do they offer? What special importance do they have for minority populations? Make certain that your response includes all aspects of each question being asked in order to receive full credit.
Community colleges play a very important part in U.S. higher education. They have several missions like workforce training, helping students in preparing for higher education and community amelioration. The role of community colleges is to grow the figure of Americans with a college degree at a reasonable cost to empower the workforce of U.S to continue competitive. There are several procedures through which these goals can be accomplished. Ideally, community colleges help students for their career preparedness, offer help for entering students, enhance the basic education skills of students, attempt to advance the total rate of graduation above the average of national community college, upsurge the graduation rate of diminished minorities and help students with acquiring the skill of paid trainings and experience to jobs in their desired areas.
Most of the initial community colleges just emphasized on preparing school teachers. The first distinct secondary school for education that was explicitly focused on work orientation was ‘Baltimore’s Manual Training High School’. During the 1920s and 1930s aim of community colleges shifted towards developing a workforce.
By the end of the 20th century, two-year community colleges played a vital part for higher education. In the 2010s, money for community colleges met enquiry as state budgets were stiffened in 2015 when President Barack Obama proposed to make community college tuition free to many residents of the United States then community colleges received attention. This attention includes commendation, analysis, and disparagement of community colleges.
Benefits: -
They offer associates’ degree programs that can be completed in two years which helps in getting jobs of that criterion or if one wants to get transferred to university
Cost is perhaps the major difference between universities and community colleges. Community colleges are much cheaper than universities
Generally, community colleges have less severe requirements for admission as compared to those of universities. Examples being open admission policies.
Class size is a deciding factor when it comes to opting between a university or a community college. community colleges generally have a much lesser student population which means class sizes are also smaller.
Community colleges are particularly to assist a varied student form. Currently, community colleges in America have approximately 30 percent of student enrolments includes ethnic minorities
They are involved in a diverse effort to help the educational achievement and retaining minority students. Some of these efforts are
Mentoring - there is an optimistic connotation between contribution in a mentoring program and the perseverance rates of minority students
Campus Climate - campus having a climate in which diversity is appreciated is a significant feature to contribute to the ease and educational achievement of minority students on community college campuses